Guide for engine cross-heads



(No Model.)

I. W. DEAN.

GUIDE FOR ENGINE .oRoss HEADS.

Patented 021;. 24, 1882..

WW. fiwzeda 71.52%

tlnrrn STATES Fa'rnnr GUIDE FOR ENGlNE CROSS-HEADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,272, dated October 24, 1882.

Application filed August 8, 1882. (No model.)

To all. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS W. DEAN, of Cambridge, county of hliddlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Guides for Engine Gross-Heads, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to a guide for an engine cross-head, and is especially intended for locomotives. When a locomotive having the usual piston-rod and connecting-rod extending therefrom to the crank of the driver is running forward the thrust on the back-stroke and the pull on the forward. stroke of the piston-rod both produce an upward pressure on the cross-head or joint between the piston-rod and connecting-rod, there being at no time any downward pressure at the said joint when the engine is running forward. The crosshead and guides as heretofore usually constructed have an equal bearing-surface at the upper and under side of the said cross-head, and, since the engines run forward a much larger portion of the time, the wear at the upper surface of the cross-head is much greater than at the lower surface.

The object of my present invention is to provide a guide and cross-head having a large wearing-surface on the upper side of the said cross-head, and one which is also very thoroughly protected from the entrance of dust or grit to the wearing-surfaces. The cross-head is shaped somewhat like the letter T in crossseetion, the connecting point for the piston and connecting rods being at the lower end or stem portion of the said T, the upper transverse portion ot' which bears against a broad, flat guide-plate properly connected with the frame-work of the engine, it being shown in this instance as bolted to the cylinder at one end and fastened at its other end to a portion of the transverse frame-work, commonly known as the yoke, upon which the forward end of the boiler is supported. The said guide-plate is provided at either side with L-shaped flanges, which inclose the upper or guiding portion of the cross-head, and afford the bearing for its under side, which is of less area than the upper hearing, as the neck or shank portion of the cross-head, by which its bearing portion is connected with the rod-connecting portion, has to pass out through the space between the L'- shaped flanges at either side of the said guideplate.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cross-head and guide embodying this invention,one of the L- shaped flanges being removed and the end of the cylinder being shown in longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on line a; 00, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, an end vview, showing the transverse portion of the frame-work to which the end of the guide is fastened. 1

The cylinder a, piston-rod I), longitudinal member 0 of the frame-work, and transverse member or yoke d thereof may be of any suitable construction. The cross-head 0, having a socket, f, to which the piston-rod I) is con nected, and a bearing, 9, to receive a pin or trunnion at the forward end of the connecting-rod, is shaped somewhat like the letter T in vertical cross-section, as shown in Fig. 2, the connecting-pointsfg for the piston and the connecting rozls being at its lower end, which is connected by a neck or stem portion, with the upper horizontal or hearing portion '17, the said connecting-pointsfg being low enough to prevent the connecting-rod, in its oscillations through the slotj in the framepiece (1, from rising to the level of the upper or guiding portion of the cross-head. The said upper or transverse portion 41 of the cross-head is provided at its upper and lower surface with shoes l m of suitable material to co-operate with the guide as a wearing-surface, there being two of the said plates at at the under side of the guiding portion t'of the cross-head, one at each side of the neck It thereof. The plate I, at the upper surface of the cross-head, has a bearing on a guide-plate, 0, securely fastened at one end to the cylinder at in this instance by means of the bolts 19, which also serve for fastening the cylinder-head to the cylinder, and at its other end to the yoke 61 by means of the bolts r. The said guide-plate 0 has connected therewith, by bolts 8, (see Fig. 2,) longitudinal l shaped flanges t, which embrace the guiding portion i of the cross-head and form the lower beariiigsurface therefor. The guide-plate 0 is preferably provided with longitudinal grooves a, spending ribs upon the L-shaped flange, and the said plate with the said flanges thus form a compound beam of great stiffness to resist which receive correv the "ertical strains from the cross head. It will be seen that the wearing-surfaces are almost entirely inclosed, so that minimum space is afforded for the admission of dust or material which would otherwise cut or wear the said surface. The bearing-plate ois preferably provided with a tubular opening, 10, having a removable cap, 17, to enable the upper wearing-surface ot' the plate I to be inspected from time to time, and the guides will he lu bricated by oil-cups z in the usual manner, these being placed atthe side of the middle of the plate 0, so that the oil dripping from them will fall upon the wearingsurt'ace of the plates t.

I claim l. The combination, with the cross-head, of the guide consisting of a plate affording a hearing for the upper surface of the said crosshead, and L-shaped flanges at either side of the said plate, embracing the guiding portion of the cross-head, and alitording a bearing for its lower bearing-surface, substantially as described.

2. In a locomotive, the combination of the cross-head with the guide consisting ot' the flat guide-plate grooved at its edges, and the L- shaped flanges having ribs to enter the said grooves and bolted to the said plate, which is bolted at one end to the cylinder-head and at its other end to the yoke or transverse portion of the frame-work of the locomotive, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the cross-head and its guide, consisting of a flat guide-plate and lateral L-shaped flanges, the said plate being provided with an opening for the inspection of the wearingsurt'ace ot' the cross-head, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

IRVINE G. MCLARREN, J. H. McLARREN. 

